Automatic musical instrument



H. J. ANDERSON AUTOMATIC MUS ICAL INSTRUMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1923 F g m .y

NVE/V 70 1 Dec. 1924. 1,517,884

H. J. ANDERSON AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FiledJan. 22, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 1924. 1,517,884

H. J. ANDERSON AUTOMATIC MUS ICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 22, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/a 5 i 1 69 i "mum-1h...

Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- HARRY J. ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T MOTOR PLAYER COR- PORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed January 22, 1923. Serial No. 614,241.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, 'HARRY J. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United Statea'residing at 8 Dix street Ch-icago, in'the county of 'Cook and State of Illinois,have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this specifica- 'tion.

My invention relates to automatic musical instruments.

One of the objects of my invention is to devise a construction whereby certain features of control may be incorporated into an automatic musical instrument and controlled fromtracker apertures which are already utilized for controlling other instrumentalities; that is to say, the same tracker opening is used to control not only the instrumentality which it was specifically intended to control, but also at certain times to control another instrumentality;

In the carrying out of this object, 1 provide a construction in which one of the instrumientalities is controlled conjointly by a pluralitv of tracker openings,-so that it will not be operated when either one alone of the tracker openings is uncovered, but will be operated when both of the openings are uncovered at the same time.

A further object of my invention is to provide an instrumentality .for preventing coasting of the air-motor wihich drives the music-roll.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved switch-pneumatic for,

controlling the electric motor which drives the air-pump.

Further objects will appear in the detailed description to follow and from the appended claims.

In the drawings in which an embodiment of my invention" is shown Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrannnatic View of certain parts of an automatic musical instrument Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a shut-oft box for preventing coasting of the motor:

Fig. 3 is a section on the line of Fig. 2;

trols the electric motor;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line of Fig. i;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6(3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7*? of Fig 5- Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 oi Fig.5;

Fig. 9:is a section on the line 99 of Fig. i: and

10 is a section on the line 1010 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the construction shown therein, comprises a tracker 10, an air motor 11 for causing the music-roll to travel over the tracker 10, an air pump 12 for creating air tension for opperating the instrument, an electric motor 13 for driving the air-pump 12, a switchpneumatic 1% for controlling the electric motor 13, a rewind-pneumatic 15 for reversing the travel of the music-roll after the selection has been played, a shut-off box 16. for stopping the air-motor 11 when the music-roll has been rewound, and a powerpneumatic 17 which may be used to control some expression device, such as a mandolin rail or the like.

In order-to give a general idea of the. re lation of the parts and their operations, it is here stated that the switch-pneumatic 1%. when collapsed, opens the switch 18, and stops the electric motor 13; that the switch pneumatic 14 is operated only when the music-roll has been completely rewound and has uncovered the tracker; that at the same time the switch-pneumatic is collapsed to stop the electric-motor the shut-ofii device 16 is also operated to stop the air-motor 11, to prevent it from coasting under its own momentum, and because of the air tension in the wind-chest; that the cut-off device 16 is controlled in its action not only by thetracker, but also by the switch-pneumatic '14, so that this cutoff device can operate to cut oft the air-motor only when the switch-pneumatic'lt is operated; and that the switchpneumatic is controlled'not only from the tracker; but also'from the rewind-pneumatic 15, so that this switch-pneumatic 14: can operate to open the switch only when the air in the rewind-pneumatic 15 is under tension.

The tracker 10 is shown as of standard construction, having a series of note perforations 19, in its intermediate portion, and ten additional openings, five at each end of the tracker, for controlling certain instrumentalities, such as the expression box, the mandolin rail, the bass and treble halves of the hammer rail, the sustaining pedal, the reroll, etc. The openings with which the description is particularly concerned are the three openings indicated at 20, 21, and 22, at the left hand end of the tracker in Fig 1. It may perhaps assist in the understanding of applicants problem to state that this tracker shown here with the ten openings in addition to the note openings is becoming a standard, and if additional instrun'ientalities are to be used, other than those for which this standard tracker was designed, some scheme must be devised for controlling these additional instrumentalities which will not interfere with the use of the openings for the purposes intended and which will not necessitate the provision of additional openings It may also assist in understanding the inveutons problem to state that the openin 22: is ordinarily used to control the bass half of the hammer rest rail; that the opening is normally used to control the mandolin rail-pneumatic 1'? and in applicants construction, this opening is also utilized to assist in the control of the shut-oft device 16; that the opening 2 1 is ordinarily used to control the sustaining pedal; that the opening 21 is used in some instruments to control a replay-pneumatic, which will, cause the same selection to be played over and over again, and in applicants construction this opening is also used to assist in the control of the switch-pneumatic which controls the electric motor: that theopening 22 is ordinarily used to control the reroll-pneumatic which reverses the connections to rewind the music-roll after the selection has been played, and in appli ants construction this opening is used to assist in the control of the switch-pneumatic let; that the fouropenings 25.21%,27 and 28, a re used to control the expression box and that the opening 29 is used to control the treble half of the hammer rest rail; itmay also assist in understanding to state that the switchpneumatic 14: will be operated only when both of the openings 21. and 22 are uncovered, and that the cut-oil device 16 will be operated only when all three of the openings 20, 21 and 22 are uncovered, and that these openings are uncovered only when the music-roll has been completely rewound and the end of the music-roll is leaving the tracker. This enables the openings 20, 21 and 22, to be used for their ordinary purposes, controlled by the special perforations, without causing the operation of the devices which are operated only when a plurality of tracker openings are simultaneously uncovered. In other words, the special perforation will cause the operation of the device which it was intended to control, but will not cause the operation of the device which requires the uncovering of a plurality of openings to effect its operation. Thus the mandolin-rail-pneumatic can be operated as often as desired or as often as perforations are provided for it during the playing of the selection without causing the operating of the switch-pneulnatic 14, and the rewind-pneumatic 15 can be operated by means of a special perforation at the end of the selection to reverse the connection for rewind, without causing the operation of the switch-pneumatic 1 1. It may also assist in understanding the construction to state that the reason why the shut-ofi device 16 is not operated by the ordinary perforation for the n'iandolin-rail, is that a coupler or cut-off device is provided in the connection between the shut-cit device and the tracker, which is normally closed, and which is opened only when air tension exists in the switch-pneu1natic 1-1, and that the reason that the switell-pneumatic 14L is not operated by means of special perforations in the music-roll which uncover the tracker opening 21 is that this switch-pneumatic is normally cut ofit from the tracker opening 21 by means of a coupler cut-ol'l' device which is opened only when air tension exists in the reroll-pneumatic 15. The normally closed coupler or cut-oitl' referred to for the shut-otl' device 16 is located in the switchpneumatic 141, between the ducts 30 and 31, which provide comn'iunication between the shut-oil device and the tracker opening 20. The duct 31 is provided with a branch connection 32, which goes to the n'iamlolin-railpneumatic 17. The coupler cut-oft device which normally cuts otf the snitch-pneumatic 14: from the tracker opening 21 is also located in the switch-pneumatic 14. and normally cuts the switch-pneumatic ofl' from communication with the tracker opening 21 through the duct The rewindpneumatic 15 is connected by the duct 34 with the tracker opening 22 and may be of any usual or suitable construction. The mandolin-rail-pneumatic 17 may also be of any usual or suitable construction.

The parts which remain to be described in detail are the shut-01f device 16, and the switch-pneumatic ll with the two couplers embodied in it.

The cut-oil device 16, shown in conmmnication with the wind-chest 35 through the nipple 36 and tube 37, comprises a valve or cut-oli member 38, mounted on a flexible diaphragm 39 for controlling the port member 40, which leads to the air-motor 11. The diaphragm chamber 41 underneath the diaphragm 39, may be in communication either with-the atmosphere, or with the wind-chest If in communication with the atmosphere, the valve or cut-otl member 38 will close the port 40. If in communication with the exhaust, the valve member 38 will be moved away from the port 40, because of the relatively higher pressure of the air in the port member 40. A vent 41 of any usual or suitable construction is provided for exhausting the air from the diaphragm chamber 41 and tube. when the tracker opening 20 is closed. The means for controlling the pressure in the diaphragm chamber 41 will be described more in detail hereinafter, but it is here stated that the diaphragm chamber 41 will be in communication with the exhaust until all three of the tracker openings 20, 21 and 22, are uncovered, which takes place only when the music-roll leaves the tracker.

Coming now to the description of the somewhat complicated switch-pneumatic 14 and the twocouplers or pneumatic-cut-otfs,

shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, 'tlns comprlses the bellows 42, having the finger 43 tor operating the electric switch 18, a tracker-controlled pneumatic-valve 44 which in one position connects the bellows 42 with the atmosphere, and in another position with the exhaust, a coupler or cut-oft 45 for controlling the con'm'iunication be tween the pneumatic-valve 44 and the tracker tube 33, and a coupler or cut-oft device 46 for controlling the communication between the tube 30, leading to the cut-off device 16, and the tube 31. As previously intimated, the coupler 45 is controlled by the rewind-pneumatic 15, and the coupler 46 is controlled by the bellows 42. The two coupler devices are similar in construction, although it will be necessary to describe both somewhat in detail.

The pneumatic valve 44, comprises a twofaced valve 47, co-operating with the atmospheric port 48 and the exhaust port 49 respectively, .a valve stem 50, guided in the valve stem guide members 51 and 52, a button 53 secured to the valve stem and an actuating diaphragm 54, for controlling the valve .47. When the diaphragm chamber above the diaphragm 54 is in communication with the exhaust thru the bleed hole 60, the atmospheric port 48 will be open, and the bellows 42 will be in communication with the atmosphere thru the passages 56 and 57, the valve chamber 58, and the atmospheric port 48. lVhen the diaphragm cham ber 55 isincommunicationwith the atmosphere, theexhaustport 49 will be open and the bellows 42 will be in communication with the exhaust thru theipassages 56 and 57, the valve chamber 58, and the exhaust port 49. The chamber 59 underneath the diaphragm 54 is always in communication with the air-pump 12 through the port 59, nipple 59 and tubes 59 and 59. A bleed 60 of anysuit-able or usual construction is provided thru which the air in the diaphragm chamber is exhausted when the passage 61 leading to the diaphragm chamber is cut-off from the atmosphere.

The two couplers or cut-oils, 45 and 46. are similar in construction, but it ill be necessary to describe both somewhat in detail. The coupler 45 comprises a flexible coupler diaphragm 62, this diaphragm con trolling con'm'iunication between the ports 63 and 64. The port 63 is at the entrance to the passage 61 previously referred to, whilethe port 64 leads to the tracker tube 33 through the passage 65. A bleed 66 is provided of any usual or suitable construction, for exhausting the air in the passage and tracker tube 33, when the tracker opening 21 is covered by the music-roll. The port 64 opens into an annular channel 67, surrounding the port- 63, this annular channel as well as the port being overlain or covered by the coupler diaphragm 62.

This coupler diaphragm 62 is controlled by a diaphragm 68, carrying a pressure disc 69, the diaphragm chamber of the diaphragm 68 being connected with the interior of the rewind-pneumatic 15 through the tube 71 and the nipple '7 2.

When the interior of the rewind-pneumatic 15 is connected with the exhaust, the diaphragm chamber 70 will also be connected with the exhaust, through the tube 71, and when the rewind-pneumatic 15 is connected with the atmosphere, the (liaphragm chamber 70 will also be'connected with the atmosphere. Following this out further, when the diaphragm chamber 7 O is connected'with thev atmosphere, the pressure member 69 will bear against the coupler diaphragm 62, and will cut off communicationbetween the ports 63 and 64. hen, however, the diaphragm chamber 7 O is in communication with the exhaust, the pressure on both sides of the diaphragm 68 will be balanced, and the pressure on the coupler diaphragm 62 will be relieved, permitting air to flow from the port 64 to the port 63, and thus establishing communication between the tracker and the pneumatic valve 44. Thus when both of the tracker openings 21 and 22 are uncovered, the diaphragm-chamber 55 will be in communication with the atmosphere, and the valve 47 will be moved to close the atmospheric port 48, and open. the exhaust port 49, causing the collapse of the pneumatic bellows 42.

If, however, either one alone of the tracker openings 21 or 22 is uncovered, no action of the switch-pileumatic-bellows 42 will take place. It requires the uncovering of both of these tracker openings simultaneously to etl'ect the collapse of this pneumatic. It the tracker opening 21 alone is uncovered, no air can get to the valve-controlling diaphragi'n 54, because of the coupler-diaphragm (52. It the tracker opening 22 alone is micovered, no air will get to the valvecontrolling. diaphragm 54, because the tracker opening 21 will be covered by the music-roll.

"r'ith this construction it will be seen that the 'rewind-pneumatie 15 can be operated to rewind the u'msic-roll. without afi ecting the switcli-p'neumatic 1 t. 1

As previously intimated, the tracker opening- 21 is used with some instruments to control a replay-pneul'natic 72, connected with the duct 33 thru the valve-controlled duct 72. F or the purpose of actuating this replay-pneumatic 72", the front or leader end of the music-roll is provided with a perforation, which will operate this replay-pneumatic to cause the ll'll'lSlC-l'Oll to be drawn forward, atter rewinding, to repeat the selection. It a music-roll having this replay perforation at the frontend tor the purpose of controlling the replay-pneumatic is used with the construction which I have described. this repla v-peritoi.ation in the musicrcll will have no etiect on the switch-pneumatic, as the coupler t?) is normally closed, being open only when the perforation also is uncovered. Thus either one of the openings 21 or can be used alone for ordinary purposes without causing any effect on the switch-pneumatic 14.

Coming now to a detailed description of the other cut-oti' or coupler 4.6, which controls the air-motor shut-otlt' device 16, this comprises a couplerdiaphragm 7 for controlling con'ununication between the ports Ti and 75, and a controlling-diaphragm 76, controlled by the pressure in the switch pi'ieumatic ll through the passage 77. The port H is in communication with the tube 31 leading to the tracker opening 20, (which also controls the inandolin-rail-pneunuitic 17) and the port 75 is in connminication with the diaphragm chamber 41 01'' the air1notor shut-oti device through the tube 80. The controlling-diaphragm 76 either presses the coupler-diaphragm 73 to its seat to cut off communication between the ports 74 and 75, or relieves the pressure on this couplerdiaphrae'm to permit communication between the said ports. W'hen the switchpneumatic bellows 4-2 are in con'nnunication with the exhaust, the controlling-chaphragm 76 will exert no appreciable pressure on the coupler-diaphragm 73, while when the switch-pneumatic bellows 4-2 are in communication w th the atmosphere, the dizuahragm 76 will bear firmly against the couplerdiaphragm T3 to cut off communication between the ports 7t and 75, and thus cut oil the cut-ott device 16 from the control of the, tracker.

It bleed 78 is provided of any usual or suitable construction tor exhausting the air in the tube 31 when this tube 31. is cut off from the atmosphere.

.It is obvious that the two couplers need not be incorporated in the switell-pneumatic, but might be otherwise mounted.

The operation has been outlined in connection with the description of the various constructioi'ls. To recapitulate briefly what takes place. let it be assumed that a musicroll is placed in position on the tracker, and that this music-roll is provided with a perforation near its trout end which in a certain type of instrument would co-operate with the tracker opening 21 to operate a replay pneumatic: that it is also provided with a perforation near the rear end of the H'H'ISlC-IOll for operating the rerollpneumatic l5 and that the intm'mcdiate portion of the musicroll may be provided with any desired arrangement of note perforations, and any desired arrangement of perforations tor ,-o-o1j)cratin;r with the tracker openings 23, 2t, 21, 25, 26, 27 and 29 to control the bass half of the hammer rail, the mandolin rail. the sustaining pedal, the expression box. and the treble halt of the hammer rest rail.

lYith such a music-roll. when the instrument is put into operation to cause the musicroll to be drawn over the tracker, the first perforation to cross the tracker will be the perforation which with certain types of instruments operates the replay-pneumatic. This will have no eti'cct whatever on applicant's construction as shown, as the switchpne!nnatic is cut off from the tracker opening 21 by the coupler As the u'iusic-roll continues, the selection will be played, and the various expression devices will be operated in accordance with the controlling); perforations provided until the selection is finished, whereupon the pertoration which controls the reroll-pneumatic will cross the tracker. operating the rerollpneumatic to reverse the travel of the musicroll, (and also to cut off the action wind to prevent. the selection from being played backward).

The rewinding ot the music-roll will continue until the end of the music-roll leaves the tracker, uncovering all of the tracker openings. At the instant of uncovering of the tracker openings 20, 21 and 22, the reroll-pneumatic 15 will be placed in communication with the exhaust, and this will cause the dia1)hragm-chamber 70 to be connected with the exhaust, relieving the pressure on the coupler-diaphragm 62, and thus permitting con'nnumcation between the diaphragm-chamber and the tracker opening 21. This admission of atmospheric air to the diaphragm-chamber 55, thru the uncovered tracker opening 21, causes the actuation of the valve 47, to connect the switchpneumatic 1% with the exhaust. This causes the collapse of the switch-pneumatic and the operation of the switch to stop the electric motor 13. hen the bellows L2 is thus placed in communication with the exhaust, the controlling-diaphragm 76 is also subjected to the action of the exhaust through the passage 77, and this permits the opening of the coupler-diaphragm 73 which controls the communication between the shutoff device 1.6 and the tracker opening 20. Thus atmospheric air is admitted to the diaphragmchan'1ber ll of the shut-oft device 16, through the tracker opening 20, causing the valve 38 to be pressed firmly against the port 40, to shut off the air-motor 11 from the exhaust. This instantly stops the airmotor, and prevents it coasting.

It will be seen that I have thus provided a construction in which additional instrumentalities are provided without necessitating any additional tracker openings, and without interfering with the control of the instrumentalities already controlled by the tracker openings.

It is obvious that additional tracker openlugs might beutilized for a double purpose if desired, and this double use might extend even to include some of the note-openings in the tracker. I

Vhile I have shown but two such additional instrumentalities, it is obvious that other instrumentalities might be added and similarly controlled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic musical instrument comprising a tracker having two openings, a pneumatic device, and means whereby said pneumatic device will be operated when both of said tracker openings are uncovered, but will not be operated when either one alone of said tracker openings is uncovered.

2. An automatic musical instrument comprising a tracker having a plurality of openings, two pneumatic devices, means for affording communication between one of said tracker openings and both of said pneumatic devices. a cut-off device for one of said pneumatic devices, normally closing communication between said one of said pneumatic devices and said one of said tracker openings, and means whereby when another of said tracker openings is uncovered said cut-off device will be operated to permit communication between said one of said pneumatic devices and said one of said tracker openmgs.

3. An automatic musical instrument, COln prising a tracker, a power pneumatic con trolled from said tracker, a pneumatic device provided with a duct foraf'fording communication with one of the tracker openings, a cut-ofi' device for said duct, normally closing communication between said pneumatic device and said one of said tracker openings, said cut-oft device comprising a pressure actuated member, and means for atlording communication between one side of said pressure actuated member and said power pneumatic, whereby when suction ex ists in said power pneumatic, said pressure actuated member will be operated for opening said duct.

4-. An automatic musical instrument comprising a tracker, an ant-motor for driving a nnisic-roll over said tracker, an air-pump for creating air tension to operate said airmotor, an electric-motor for driving said air-pump, a switch for controlling said electric-motor, a switch-pneumatic for operan ing said switch to stop said electric-motor, and a pneumatic stop device to prevent: coasting of said air-motor controlled jointly by the tracker and by the said switchpneuniatic, said switch-pneumatic having one connection with the tractor, and said stop device having another connection with the tractor controlled by the switch-pneumatic.

5. An automatic musical instrun'ient co1nprising a tracker, means for driving a music-roll over said tracker, a tracker-controlled rewind-pneumatic for reversing the travel of said music-roll, an a-ir-pui'np for creating air tension to operate said instrument, an electric-motor for driving said airpump, a switch for controlling said electricmotor, and a. switch-pneun'iatic controlled jointly by said tracker and by said rewindpneumatic for operating said switch to stop said electric-motor.

6. An automatic musical instrument comprising a tracker having a plurality of tracker openings, a pneumatic device provided with a duct for affording communication with one of said tracker openings, a cut-off device for said duct normally closing communication between said pneumatic device and one of said tracker openings, and means whereby when another of said tracker openings is uncovered, said cut-off device will be operated to permit communication between said one of said tracker openings and said pneumatic-device.

'7. An automatic musical instrument comprising a tracker, an air-motor for driving a. music-roll over said tracker, a trackercontrolled rewind-pneumatic for reversing the travel of the music-roll, an air-pump for creating air tension to operate said airmotor, an electric-motor for driving said air-pump, a switch for controlling said electrio-motor, a switch-pneumatic controlled jointly by the tracker and rewind-pneumatic for operating said switch to stop said electric-motor, and apneumatic stop device to prevent coasting of the air-motor, controlled jointly by the tracker and said switcli-pneumatic.

-S. An automatic musiczl imjitrumcnt comprislng a tracker having a plurality oi openings, a pneumatic device provided with a duct for affording connnnnication with one of said tracker openings, a cnt-olt' device for said duct normally closing comll'lllIllC-iltlOh between said pneumatic device and said one of said tracker openings, and means whereby another of said tracker openings is uncovered, said cut-oli' device will be operated to permit: communication between said one of said tracker openings and said pneumatic device, said cut-ol'l' device comprising a member having a port therein, a diaphragm normally closin Said port, an annular channel surronmling said port, and a port opening into said annular channel, said diaphragm normally closing eomn'iunication between said ports but permitting comn'mnication tl'ierebetween when lifted.

9. An automatic musical instrument comprising a tracker having a plurality of tracker o ')enings, a pneumatic device pro? vided with a duct for atl'ording communication with one of said tracker o 'ienings. a cut-off device for said duct normally closing communication between said pneumatic device and said one of said tracker 0penings, said cut-oti' device comprising a member having a port therein, an annular ehannel surrounding said port, a second port opening into said annular channel, a diaphragm extending across said annular channel and both of said ports, a tracker controlled power pneumatic. means affording communication between the interior of said power-pneumatic and one side of said diaphragm. wluareby when suction is present in said power pneumatic, said diaphragm will be lifted to permit communication between said ports.

10. An automatic musical instrument comprising a tracker. a pneumatic device provided with a duct 't'or aflording communi ration with an opening of said tracker. a cut-off device for said duct normally closing communication between said pneumatic device and said tracker opening said cutotl' device comprising a port; and a diaphragm normally closing said port. a 1')owe1.'- neuinatic and means a ti'ording communication between the interior of said powerpneinnatic and one side o't said diaphragm \Yllt-ltlby when suction is present in said power pneumatic. said diaphragm will be. lifted to uncover said port.

ll. An auton'iatic musical instrluncnt comprising a tracker having an opening, two ]')neun'1atic devices both connected with the same tracker opening, and a cut-oft dcvice for controlling the (Oliltl'llllll(2lti()ll between one of said devices and said opening. the tracker having another opening which controls said cut-oil device.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my name.

HARRY J. ANDERSON.

\Vitness G150. R. BURT.

tit) 

